February: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls;

March: Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg;

April: Justice: What''s the Right Thing to Do? by Michael J. Sandel.

The book for April is quite new, but we have several months to hunt down copies. I suggest that you put a copy on hold as soon as possible. Also, like last year, the Multnomah County Library System has selected a book for their up-coming county-wide book discussion groups.  Sunny said we can go to any branch and pick up a copy of the book to read, and then get involved in that once-a-year book discussion.

Choosing Books:  Books chosen will be either fiction or non fiction, according to the suggestions of the group.

• Easily accessible from the library and/or out in paperback. 
  
• Best sellers should be older than 1 year and fewer than 5 years old (hence, sufficient copies in the library) and probably out in paperback. 
  
• Classics (which are also easily accessible in the library and in paperback),
• Any other book ("classic" or not) which is out in paperback or otherwise easily any inexpensively available.

• Short enough to be read easily in the month between meetings.  400 pages is often considered a rule of thumb for book club choices.
  

• Books are suggested by members of the group.

Book Club Etiquette: 

• The group is for readers.  It's OK to attend a session if you haven't been able to read this month's book, BUT plan to remain silent during the discussion and then to answer the question "after hearing all this, do you plan to read the book, and why (or why not)?"
• Prepare some questions and thoughts for discussion before you arrive.
• Allow everyone to have a chance to speak.
• Be a good listener.
• Avoid arguments that stop discussion of the book.  Healthy debates are fine, but any member should be able to stop an inappropriate argument.  .
• Be open to other thoughts and opinion different from your own.
• If you don't like the book, offer thought-proviking criticism instead of simply complaining.